my friend's birthday is today

we met at church one day in 1988 when she was visiting unity pres in charlotte, NC where my husband was the solo pastor.  i never thot i'd see her again but there she was at a crisis pregnancy center training one nite, downtown charlotte. we gravitated towards one another during a break saying "don't i know you?" and have been fast friends ever since. kindred spirits, bosom friends as anne shirley says in "anne of green gables" (1985, i would've thot older).

i wish i could steal her away from work and buy her lunch today. shower her with my love and appreciation for the gift she is to me and all the things we have in common. two kids each, same age just opposite sex for older and younger. a love of the Word. a love of movies. joy in birdies and cats.  a love of mani/pedi's. dependency upon prayer to name only a few. listen to this:  she once prayed for God to send me a bird during a difficult time. the most fantastically bright yellow bird showed up on a high wire during the funeral procession of my husband's sister in memphis. now that's answered prayer wouldn't you say? what a God of details we have and how sweet is He to answer our prayers like that?

i cannot compare one friend to another, that's not my point. they're all too precious to me. i am very blessed by all the many friends God has given me, some since 7th grade!

but on their special birthdays when i enjoy celebrating how they were born into this world just to be my friends (it's all about me) and celebrating the days they were born again in Christ, i just long to be with them a little more than usual.  thank you GOD for my charlotte, NC friend. bless her today, real good, i pray, amen.